Eligibility: Must be homeless with an income, and willing to designate 30% of income for rent and 25% for savings. Must be clean and sober, willing to do chores and follow a case management plan. Women can have up to 3 children stay with them.
Overview: Rooms for women and families in the NCWC are designated for this six-month transitional housing program. IH serves women who demonstrate a relatively high degree of independence, but need time to further stabilize and prepare for the transition to permanent housing. Women in IH have access to a shared kitchen, laundry and shared bathrooms. All IH residents receive housing assistance and case management. When women are ready to move into housing, staffmembers help them find furniture and other household items.
To encourage a high rate of housing retention, women who graduate from the program into permanent or long-term transitional housing receive follow-up case management for six months after graduation.
Back to top
Services: Transitional housing and living skills program for women with psychiatric disabilities, leading to permanent supportive housing placement.
Eligibility: Women must be homeless, clean and sober for a minimum of 90 days, have a stable income, 18 years or older, and possess one or more serious mental health issues. The client must be willing to do chores, cook, attend community evening meals and follow a case management plan.
Overview: Transitional House is a two-year program that helps homeless women with severe psychiatric disabilities (and/or dual diagnosis) to develop necessary living skills so they can live independently. While staying at TH, residents participate in community living and meet regularly with their case manager to develop an individualized treatment plan to work through the living skills program. Community activities include dinner, weekly house meetings, chores and outings. TH provides family reunification assistance to residents who have experienced separation from their children. Living skill activities include time management, recovery programs, school attendance, group meetings, job and volunteer commitments, budgeting, comparison shopping and keeping regular medical appointments. Staff monitors medication compliance of all residents and provides travel training to those requiring assistance. After completing the living skills objectives, which includes planning for and finding permanent housing, each woman graduates from the program. All clients are welcomed and encouraged to participate in TH graduate dinners and holiday gatherings.
Back to top
Health Care Services:
There are a variety of health care services available on-site at BFHP’s Dwight Way facility, available to our clients in Women’s Overnight Shelter, Women’s Resource Center, and Transitional Services, as well as to any other homeless women in the community.
LifeLong Medical Care hosts a drop-in clinic for adult women at Dwight Way on Mondays from 9am-1pm. Dr. Sue Ferguson provides physical exams, blood pressure screenings, weight screenings, vaccinations, breast exams, referrals for mammograms and pelvic exams, screening and management of chronic conditions like diabetes and HIV/AIDS, treatment of eye and ear infections, and basic dermatology services.
The Suitcase Clinic, a UC-Berkeley student organization, comes to the Women’s Shelter every Monday from 7:30-9pm. They provide medical consultations, chiropractic services, massage, foot washing, nail painting, arts and crafts for children, blood pressure screenings, legal advice, and referrals.
Alameda County Health Care for the Homeless Mobile Van visits Dwight Way, usually on the second Tuesday of the month, from 11am-3:30pm. This mobile clinic provides primary medical care, limited dental care, eye care, TB testing, support services, and alcohol and drug services.
***Transitional Housing clients only*** The City of Berkeley Department of Public Health has also recently launched a monthly “Healthy Living” workshop for our clients in Transitional Housing. This workshop focuses on promoting a healthy lifestyle; from managing hypertension to reading food labels and learning how cook a healthy meal. The community health educators from Berkeley Public Health focus on providing our clients with lessons and skills to take with them when they move into permanent housing.
Back to top
